The Epistemic Crisis of Artificial Intelligence in the Context of Nafs al-Amr

Yıl 2025, Sayı: 72, 254 - 264, 15.12.2025

Mahmut Özer

https://doi.org/10.26650/JECS2025-1780354

Öz

Unlike previous general-purpose technological transformations, AI is rapidly transforming all aspects of life within a very short period, creating an ecosystem with fundamentally different dynamics. Within this ecosystem, the problems arising from the inherent nature of AI have become more visible, triggering intense debates and efforts to develop solutions. Among these challenges, the reproduction of social inequalities through biased outputs, the phenomenon of hallucination leading to the generation of incorrect information, and biases or deficiencies embedded in algorithmic assumptions stand out prominently. Consequently, the accuracy of the knowledge produced by AI has emerged as a critical issue that demands close attention. In this study, we examine the epistemic dimension of the knowledge generated by artificial intelligence within the framework of nafs al-amr, which holds a significant place in Islamic thought regarding the relationship between knowledge and truth. To the best of our knowledge, this study is the first of its kind in this context. Unlike the knowledge produced by AI systems that operate solely on statistical correlations, nafs al-amr grounds the validity of knowledge in a stable and independent domain of truth, allowing meaning to extend beyond mere probabilistic resemblance. This study underscores the necessity of rethinking how truth is represented and validated in contexts shaped by AI. By adopting the perspective of nafs al-amr, it not only exposes the structural deficiencies of current AI systems but also provides a conceptual foundation for building a more reliable and ethically grounded epistemic architecture, thereby laying the groundwork for future discussions.

Anahtar Kelimeler

Nafs al-amr , artificial intelligence , Islamic thought , epistemology , bias , hallucination

Teşekkür

I would like to express my gratitude to Prof. Dr. İhsan Fazlıoğlu for reading the article and providing valuable suggestions, which significantly contributed to the improvement of this work. The first version of this article was published in Turkish in Issue 23 of _Teklif_ magazine.

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